'Horrible': Sir Jim Ratcliffe 'sucking the soul out of Manchester United' with his latest cost-cutting measure

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come under fire after cutting funding to a charity that helps former players.

the billionairewho pumped a Extra £79m for Red Devils This month, he cut the £40,000 annual charity contribution to club legends.

The 72-year-old has overseen several controversial cost-cutting initiatives since investing £1.2bn for a 27.7 per cent stake in United.

Ratcliffe and the renewed Old Trafford board were labeled 'absolutely disgusting' for hiking ticket prices for £26 in early December.

It was also revealed that United had requested local rivals Man City if they could transport their stars to the Ballon d'Or ceremony save the expense of hiring your own private jet to the dazzling do in paris.

This comes after the decision was made to remove Sir Alex Ferguson from his long-standing paid ambassador position at the club, which saw Old Trafford legend Eric Cantona lead the protests.

Now another group of former Reds with the Association of Former manchester united Players (AFMUP) have criticized the club's latest penny-pinching plan.

The AFMUP, created in 1985, has the former captain Bryan RobsonDenis Law, Brian Kidd and Denis Irwin among its 300 members.

United donated £40,000 each year so the trust could support players from earlier eras before the wealth of the Premier League.

AFMUP administrator Jim Elms, who was in United's youth team and reserves from 1957 to 1960, claimed the charity had not received the last two quarterly payments of £10,000.

The 84-year-old said the sun: “We sent a letter to say that we have not been paid. No one came out to tell us, so we had to send another letter. That's when we started hearing things that it was going to be the end of us.”

Elms revealed that United CEO Omar Berrada broke the news of the funding cut over the phone in the days before Christmas.

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“Omar did not commit. “He will meet with us again in January, but said he did not see any changes,” he added.

“He didn't seem to think we were a necessity.”

Jim, from Bramhall, Cheshire, added: “We have been running it since 1985. Keeping the old players together. Caring for those who couldn't pay for funerals. I just can't understand them myself. It's ridiculous.

“We donate between £10,000 and £20,000 to charities, mainly children's charities in the local area.

“We've had £20,000 this year, but not the rest.”

Reacting to the news with Natalie Sawyer and Tony Casacarino, talkSPORT presenter Angelina Kelly didn't hold back.

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Speaking on Saturday Breakfast, he said: “This is an organization that helps a lot of ex-footballers who maybe weren't earning the kind of money you see footballers earning now.

“They also help with things like funding funerals for former players whose families may not be able to afford it.

“They actually have these events at Old Trafford – they rent the space and pay for it, they also donate to children's charities, so again, from a PR perspective, it's really disgusting when you look at it and the way they “This has been all.” handled is simply horrendous.”

Kelly continued: “£40,000 is a drop in the bucket when you have players on £350,000 a week, it's so, so disappointing!”

talkSPORT pair Sawyer and Cascarino agreed, with the former adding: “They are really taking the soul out of the fans.

“Even then they are trying to price them with some of the ridiculous ticket charges“It’s amazing!”